


Dress Up

by Iknowthebattle



Category: Call Me By Your Name (2017) RPF
Genre: Halloween Challenge, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-10-18
Updated: 2018-10-18
Packaged: 2019-08-04 04:25:15
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,921
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16339769
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Iknowthebattle/pseuds/Iknowthebattle
Summary: Velvet spends her first Halloween with Armie and the kids. xA different tone than Black & Red (a bit more fluff?), moving a bit ahead in time.**





	Dress Up

Trick or treating in New York was always a challenge.

For Ford and Harper, they were used to spending a couple of holidays and other special events in the city with their parents. They were looking forward to Halloween like always. Last year, their first year trick or treating in the city, they seemed to enjoy running up and down endless hallways on the Upper East Side where all of the good candy seemed to be; Ford semi-crawling up the stairs and stoops of massive brownstones and townhouses, his pumpkin bucket swinging off his chubby wrist.

It was a stark contrast to trick or treating at their Mom’s in Connecticut; identical blocks and rows of hours with perfectly manicured lawns, all the same, all serving warm apple cider and muffins in addition to candy. One year Harper had actually gotten something called a “monster cookie” that Armie had thought looked like something that came out of the garbage disposal but she ate it all so his judgment was clearly skewed.

Armie and his ex-wife took turns celebrating holidays with the kids and this year it was his turn for Halloween. Last year Ford was a pumpkin, Harper a princess.

This year, Harper was planning to be Captain Hook. Ford would be her best mate, Smee, from Peter Pan. It had all been Harper’s idea and Armie breathed a sigh of relief that it wasn’t another princess. He didn’t know how many more tiaras he could take.

The only thing they had gone shopping for had been Harper’s wig and hook. All the rest they had made at home—more specifically, Velvet had helped them to make the rest of their costumes sitting at her sewing machine in her studio apartment.

Ford had almost been Tinkerbell, Velvet pulling out sparkling green material and ideas for the design of wings but he changed his mind at the last minute so Smee it was.

“What’re you gonna be Daddy?” Harper had asked while Armie made her pancakes one Saturday morning. It was his weekend with the kids.

Armie made a face. “I don’t think Dads dress up for Halloween.”

Harper nodded, popping a strawberry in her mouth.

“Yes they do.”

“Oh? And how do you know that?”

Armie flipped a pancake over, watching it bubble and pop.

“Cause that’s what Daddies do.” She was very matter of fact, leaving no room for argument and Armie laughed.

Armie laughed.

“Well, what if I go as a grumpy Dad?”

Harper rolled her eyes. “That’s not a costume!”

“Touche,” Armie said, giving her a nod of approval.

Now it was All Hallows Eve and Ford and Harper were both at his apartment. Harper was demanding Armie turn up the volume on the “scary” Halloween playlist that he had been playing from his IPhone on the Bluetooth speakers all day.

 Ford was bouncing and wobbling around, mouth already sticky from candy. He had a handful of candy corn, his tiny fist shoving it all in as fast as he could, the white tips of the candy sticking out from between his fingers like an extra set of ivory claws. Armie chased him around the apartment, calling him Wolverine.

“What time is Velvet coming over?” Harper has asked a thousand times, following Armie from room to room, wearing her Captain Hook wig since breakfast. She had been careful to keep it out of her face, avoiding the maple syrup on top of her chocolate chip pancakes.

“At 6:00,” Armie said for the thousandth time that day. Harper would then count the hours out on her hands to see how much time was left.

This would be the kids second time meeting Timothee and Velvet. The first time it was Timothee who had shown up at the apartment, but Velvet who went out to dinner with the three of them later that same evening.

Armie didn’t have to do as much explaining as he thought when Velvet had emerged from the bedroom, dressed for dinner; Harper had begun playing with Velvet’s bracelets, so thin and delicate on her equally thin and delicate wrist. Ford had bent down pointing at her black heels with red bows at the top, shouting what sounded like _Shooooooz_ over and over again to Velvet’s great delight and amusement.

Everything had gone smoothly.  It had been easy, maybe too easy Armie worried, but in the end all he felt was relief, gratefulness. He hadn’t given his kids enough credit. Maybe he didn’t give himself and his ex-wife enough credit, as much as that pained him to admit.

Armie knew the questions would come later, gradually and over time, but for now, it was innocent acceptance and Armie wouldn’t question it further.

He wasn’t nearly as worried tonight, there was a certain domestic comfort, a peace that came over him as he watched Harper and Ford run in circles around the apartment with their plastic swords, battling one another, high and riding their sugar rush.

The doorbell rang, and then two soft knocks.

Armie wiped his hands on a dish towel that was orange and said _Boo_ in black glitter letters, a black cat crawling across the top of the letters. He had been chopping apples to dip into caramel. The kids called them Halloween Easter Eggs.

“It’s Velvet, its Velvet!” Harper was chanting standing near the front door, pointing towards it as if Armie would have any trouble locating where it was.

“You think so, huh?” He reached down to scoop up his daughter, opening the door with his other hand.

Velvet stood there, a bottle of wine in one hand, a turquoise and gold clutch purse in the other, a brown department store bag hanging from one of her wrists. Her fingers were lined with gold, onyx and turquoise rings.

“You’re a princess!” Harper screeched seeing Velvet in the doorway.

Velvet smiled, leaning in to kiss Harper on the cheek.  

“No darling, I’m a Queen, Queen Cleopatra.”  She posed in a regal stance. This made Harper laugh, but not in a mocking or silly way, only that she simply had to share her delight.

Armie stared at Velvet for a few seconds, forgetting there were other people or things happening around him until the sound of Ford screaming, clumsy toddler feet running towards the door ripped into his thoughts.

Velvet walked in slowly, Ford immediately attached to her calves which were covered in sheer black stockings.

“Ford, come on buddy, let Velvet come inside,” Armie coaxed, tugging at the back of his son’s costume.

Velvet’s laugh was soft. “It’s just fine.”  She held a painted, ringed finger against his small back.

She walked over to where Armie stood, still holding Harper on his hip. She put the bottle of wine down on the counter behind him.

Armie slipped an arm around her waist; the gold fabric under his fingers was heavy, metallic. He leaned over, kissed her on the cheek and then her lips, wishing he could move down to her neck.

 Harper reached out to touch the tips of Velvet’s suddenly straight black hair.

“Is this your real hair?”

Velvet shook her head, her golden crown making the smallest of clinking noises.

“No, it’s a wig. My real hair is underneath, tied up in a bun, under a hair net like a lunch lady.”

“Oh, ok.” Harper seemed satisfied, even pleased with that answer. “Good cos I like your curls.”

Armie smiled, kissed Velvet again on the cheek.

“Me too.”   He spoke the two words directly in her ear, barely audible.

Armie saw her neck flush red, her hand rubbing his back, _thank you._ It was Timothee blushing, saying thank you.

Velvet looked at Harper and Ford, rubbing Harper’s belly with the hand not around Armie’s waist.

“So we decided on Captain Hook and Smee? Not Jack Skellington or Peter Pan and Tinkerbelle?”

Harper shook her head. “Nope. I want to make everybody…walk the plank!” She did her best pirate growl, and Ford clapped in response from the floor below, ever the faithful side kick.

Velvet nodded. “Well, I approve.” She rubbed gently at the side of Harper’s face.

“How about a little pirate make up? You know, Captain Hook was one fancy gentleman.”

Harper wiggled down and out of Armie’s arms and ran back towards the room she and Ford shared.

“Yeah, come on Velvet!” She motioned for her to follow, Ford the only one listening.

“We’ll be right there sweetheart,” Armie called after her.

Armie heard the play make up and costume jewelry chest open and Harper start babbling away at Ford when he pulled Velvet as close to him as he could with both hands.

He rubbed his hands from her neck down her back to her ass where he let his hands linger, grabbing at the gold sequins, needy, overdue.

“Someone’s feeling very bold,” she crooned against the side of his face, pleased, not offended at the touch.

“Mm hmm…do we _have_ to go out? Why don’t we just fill the kids up with candy and let them run around until they pass out?”

“Oh? And then what Mr. Hammer?”

Armie’s cock was a steel rod in his sweatpants, no attempt or ability to hide it.  

“When you call me that…”

Velvet pulled away just a bit, hands on his shoulders.

“When I call you by your name?”

Armie pulled her close again, his grip tighter this time.

“You know what I mean.”

Armie hinted at one of the games they had only recently started to play, now that there was so much trust, so much room and space for exploration and play.

Velvet nodded. “Mm, I do. But…we have a date with two wily pirates this evening.”

Armie groaned, falling back against the kitchen island, pulling Velvet with him.

“But after?” His face looked like an expectant school boy. It made Velvet laugh.

“We’ll see.”

Somehow this soothed Armie, even erasing his impatience for the moment. She would be there, so would he and before that they would be some little unit, out trampling about, four people made up to look like a mismatched, sewn together family.

_“Velvet!”_

Harper’s voice was now tumbling out of her room. Velvet smiled knowingly.

“I’m being summoned.” She kissed Armie in the center of his throat, leaving the lightest lipstick mark behind. “I’ll be back.”

He reluctantly let her go, holding on until the last minute, turning to watch her walk back towards the kids’ room, all gold sequins and sheer stockings.

Armie heard the soft sound of her voice speaking to Harper and then Ford, in hushed, secret tones, words he was not privy to.

He walked on quiet feet and stood outside the door, intruding on their luxurious and bright inner circle of blush and mascara.

Armie poked his head into the room as far as he dared, seeing Velvet sat on a chair across from Harper who had her head tilted upwards, her little lips pursed while Velvet carefully lined them with a light sheen. Ford sat beside his sister, legs swinging, waiting patiently for his turn.

“Okay, now, close your eyes…” Velvet’s voice was high and low, teasing and very serious at the same time, as if preparing a surprise for Harper. Ford closed his eyes too.

Harper obeyed, and Armie watched as Velvet looked over carefully at the pretend make-up, a single fingernail in her mouth, in serious thought, debating what to do, which silly sticks and paints to use.

Armie moved so that only Velvet could see him, Harper and Ford’s backs to the door.

Velvet looked up, put a finger to her lips, asking him to remain still and quiet. Armie observed her silent request. He folded his arms; let his body fall gently against the door framing, one foot crossed over the other.

“Okay, so Captain Hook needs lots and lots of eyeliner, so close your eyes but not too tight,” Velvet’s instructions were careful, a charcoal stick in her hand and Armie realized it was her own, not one from Harper’s set.

She leaned over, gently sketching a thin black line across the bottom of Harper’s eyelids, one, then the other, blowing on each for a few moments once she was finished. She held her face between her hands, and looked at her work, satisfied.

“Okay, now open your eyes and look up at the ceiling.” Velvet pointed upwards and Harper rolled her eyes, something she excelled at, Armie thought with a smile.

Velvet applied just a little bit of mascara to her lashes, letting her blink as much as she needed, and smiling, laughing softly when Harper proclaimed _“my eyes keep closing!”_

“And now just a little blush…”

Velvet removed her own blush from her clutch, touching each of Harper’s cheeks once, then twice, sealing the deal, completing her task with a kiss.

Armie felt a strange surge of jealousy at the way Velvet touched his daughter, the tenderness, the careful application; it was now something that they shared, outward masks, disguises. But it was all a part of them regardless. He didn’t know which shelf in his head or heart to place this envy, so he let it reside in a corner, abandoned for the time being, hoarding feelings he did not understand.

Velvet spun Harper around to look in the mirror.

“There, all finished. What do we think?” Velvet was standing, bent over so she could look in Harper’s vanity mirror, hands on her shoulders.

Harper gasped, and then nodded her approval. “Okay, I like it. I like it a lot.”

“My turn!” Ford protested.

 Velvet set about giving him the tiniest bit of blush on each plump baby cheek, just a little mascara, because he could not sit still long enough for more and looking up was out of the question. Velvet held her face still with a steady, gentle hand and he seemed to fall under her spell long enough for her to even put a little lip gloss across his lips. He stared at her, blonde lashes suddenly more apparent under her expert hand.

She held his hand and walked him over to the mirror.

“And how do we feel Mr. Ford?”

Ford didn’t answer with words, just clung to her legs, smudging the lip gloss.

“You know what,” Velvet was talking to Harper now, but to Armie as well as he stood feet away, still, always a spectator to her magic.

“You don’t need to always wear this stuff,” she waved at her make up bag and Harper’s pretend make-up, her rings clanging and tittering.

“Make up?” Harper asked, still looking at herself in the mirror, pushing her wig out of the way. She was making a regal pose like Velvet had made earlier.

“Mmm…that’s right.”

Velvet bent down to hoist Ford up on her hip. She stood behind Harper, touching the top of her head with one hand.

“It’s fun to pretend, but sometimes it isn’t. You can just be you no matter what.” Velvet rubbed the top of the wig, smoothing down the synthetic fibers.

Harper nodded. “I know. Sometimes….you’re Velvet and then…sometimes you’re Timothee but you’re not pretending.”

Velvet looked not at Harper, but at Armie. She smiled at him, at Harper, bending low to kiss the top of Harper’s wig.

Harper finally noticed Armie in the doorway and ran over to him to show off her complete ensemble, hook in hand.

“Are you ready Daddy? Can we go trick or treating now?”

Armie picked her up and kissed the side of her face, tasting, smelling Velvet’s blush.

“Ready when you are.”

“I’m ready!” Harper cheered her hook in the air.

Armie stood there, still in a white t-shirt and blue sweatpants, bare foot, bed head, not even bothering to shave.

Velvet walked over still holding Ford.

“Mm, no I have something for you to wear.”  She looked Armie up and down, smiling. He knew better than to argue.

Harper shouted her excitement again.  Ford was shoving fistfuls of Velvet’s wig into his mouth. Armie met Velvet’s gaze and sighed.

“Let’s see,” Armie submitted.

Velvet pulled out a simple gold laurel wreath and blood red cloak from the brown bag on Harper’s bed.

“Marc Antony,” Armie realized, grateful.

“Yes, you can even wear sandals if you wish.”

Armie laughed. “Am I that lazy and predictable?”

Velvet and Harper looked at one another, then at Armie. They both blew him kisses which he caught and held close to his chest, laughing.

~~~~

The foursome walked down the hallway of their next to last stop of the evening, Velvet holding Harper’s hand, Armie carrying a by now asleep Ford, his treasure from the evening swinging from Armie’s wrist.

Harper, still full of energy, knocked fully on the door, pumpkin weighed down, ready and waiting in front of her.

An elderly woman answered the door, holding her bowl of candy, all chocolate, much to Harper’s delight.

“Trick or treat!” Harper said politely, but making sure the woman and half the hallway could hear.

“Oh look at you; you make a very fine Captain Hook!”

Harper nodded, holding out her pumpkin.

“And what do we have here….” The woman looked over at Velvet.

“Cleopatra! How lovely.”

Velvet smiled, whispered, _thank you._

The woman’s gaze turned to Armie, eyes narrowing slightly, still a small smile on her lips, holding up a piece of candy with an unsteady hand as she looked him up and down.

“And you….who are you supposed to be?”


End file.
